The Tor Tiv and Chairman of the Benue State Council of Chiefs, His Royal Majesty Prof. James Ayatse, has raised alarm over the persistent attacks in Benue State, describing the violence not as farmer-herder clashes, but as a “well-planned genocidal invasion and land-grabbing campaign” by terrorists.
The monarch made this known during a stakeholders’ meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday, where he strongly refuted widely circulated claims that the violence in the state was a result of herder-farmer conflicts. Benue State has recently witnessed a fresh wave of attacks, with over 100 people reportedly killed on June 14 in Yelewata and Daudu communities of Guma Local Government Area. By Sunday, the death toll had reportedly risen to 200, sparking national outrage and calls for urgent government intervention.
“We do have grave concerns about the misinformation and misrepresentation of the security crisis in Benue State,” the Tor Tiv told President Tinubu. “Your Excellency, it is not herder-farmer clashes. It is not communal clashes, it is not reprisal attacks or skirmishes,” he stated emphatically.
He noted that such mischaracterizations of the conflict had led to misplaced policy responses, urging the federal government to recognize the crisis for what it truly is. “It is this misinformation that has led to suggestions such as ‘remain tolerant, negotiate for peace, learn to live with your neighbours’. What we are dealing with here in Benue is a calculated, well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion and land-grabbing campaign by herder terrorists and bandits, which has been going on for decades and is worsening every year.”
Ayatse warned that failing to properly identify the nature of the conflict would continue to frustrate efforts to address it effectively. “Wrong diagnosis will always lead to wrong treatment. So, we are dealing with something far more sinister than we think about,” he said. “It is not about learning to live with your neighbours; it is about defending against war.” In response, President Tinubu expressed concern over the rising violence and assured stakeholders that the federal government is committed to restoring peace and security in Benue. He directed security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend those behind the killings and ensure justice is served. The president’s directive comes amid growing pressure on the government to take decisive action to stem the tide of violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, where communities continue to suffer the brunt of deadly attacks.
